President Donald J. Trump The Messiah? A Biblical and Historical Investigation by Dr. Terry Harman
- Dr. Terry Harman
- May 1
- 6 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Is President Trump "The" Messiah? The idea of political figures being seen as agents of divine will is a recurring theme throughout religious history. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Persian King Cyrus the Great is uniquely called God's "anointed" (mashiach), a title otherwise reserved for Israel’s kings and priests.
In recent years, a similar discussion has surfaced around President Donald J. Trump, whom some Christian groups have heralded as a "Cyrus figure" or even suggested has a messianic role.
This provocative claim invites serious theological, historical, and sociological reflection. Is it appropriate to liken Trump to a biblical messiah? How does this perception fit into broader patterns of political messianism across Jewish and Christian history?
Cyrus the Great: God's Unexpected Anointed
In the book of Isaiah, we find an extraordinary statement: "Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him..." (Isaiah 45:1, JPS 1917).
Cyrus, who ruled the Persian Empire from approximately 559–530 BCE, was a non-Israelite and a likely adherent of early Zoroastrianism. Nevertheless, he is given the Hebrew title mashiach - anointed one -because he permitted the Jews to return from Babylonian exile and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1 - 4).
As Old Testament scholar John Goldingay explains: "The anointing here does not imply religious conversion but designation for a particular task ordained by Yahweh."¹
N. T. Wright similarly stresses that God often works through surprising instruments: "God is not restricted to working through the faithful; He bends the wills of empires to fulfill His promises."²
Thus, Cyrus became a model for understanding how secular rulers unknowingly advance divine purposes without possessing covenantal faith.
Donald Trump and the "Cyrus" Paradigm
The notion that Donald Trump might be a modern-day "Cyrus" gained traction during and after the 2016 presidential election. In his second term, the status of being "appointed by God for such a time as this" has increased. Trump's supporters turn to his two failed assassination attempts as further evidence of the protective hand of God being upon the president.
Trump’s outsider status, brash rhetoric, and personal moral controversies made him an unlikely hero to Christian conservatives. Yet his policies - especially those supporting Israel, religious liberties, and the appointment of conservative judges - are celebrated as victories for Christian causes.
Lance Wallnau’s God’s Chaos Candidate (2016) advanced the idea that Trump had a special divine anointing, much like Cyrus. Wallnau and others contended that, despite personal flaws, Trump was a chosen vessel for a particular moment in history.
Symbolically affirming this view, an Israeli organization minted a commemorative coin featuring images of Cyrus and Trump side-by-side to mark the U.S. Embassy’s move to Jerusalem in 2018. The visual and theological parallels pictured in this post are unmistakable.
Nevertheless, theologian Miroslav Volf warns against overinterpreting political success: "Political figures may serve redemptive purposes, but their moral flaws and limited visions remind us that they are not saviors, but tools-often blunt ones-in the hand of Providence."³
While some Christians see Trump as providentially used by God, the comparison to a biblical messiah requires careful theological restraint.
Historical Patterns of Political Messianism
Trump’s association with messianic imagery is not unprecedented. Throughout Jewish and Christian history, various leaders have been perceived - or have perceived themselves - as messianic agents.
Simon bar Kokhba
During the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome (132–136 CE), Simon bar Kokhba was elevated to the status of Messiah by Rabbi Akiva. Shaye J. D. Cohen observes:
"The disastrous failure of the revolt effectively ended Jewish messianic movements tied to military deliverance for centuries."⁴ Bar Kokhba’s defeat led to catastrophic consequences for Jewish autonomy and culture.
Sabbatai Zevi
In the 17th century, Sabbatai Zevi captivated Jewish communities with his messianic claims. His dramatic apostasy to Islam under Ottoman pressure devastated Jewish hopes. Gershom Scholem comments:
"Zevi’s apostasy marked one of the most catastrophic moments in Jewish messianic history."⁵ His apostasy is a cautionary tale about the dangers of misplaced messianic faith.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon never claimed messiahship, yet his policies - especially Jewish emancipation - led some to view him in messianic terms. His eventual fall reaffirmed the precariousness of investing eschatological hopes in political rulers.
The Rebbe
Although the claim is not an official endorsement by Chabad, a small faction within the movement promotes the idea that the late Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Rebbe of Chabad, is the Messiah. On a recent trip to Crown Heights in New York, I noticed the views of this faction posted on traffic signals.
Evaluating the Trump-Messiah Comparison
1. Divine Designation versus Retrospective Interpretation
Cyrus’ mission was prophetically foretold in Isaiah before it occurred. In contrast, Trump’s supposed divine mission is interpreted retrospectively. As historian Mark Noll notes:
"The complex entanglement of religion and political identity in America has often led to confusing national leadership with divine vocation."⁶
The theological warrant for viewing Trump as a messiah figure is, therefore,
far weaker than that for Cyrus.
2. Personal Faith and Moral Character
Cyrus was a pagan king, and Trump, despite public affirmations of Christianity, often exhibited behavior at odds with Christian moral teachings. Their piety (or lack thereof) did not necessarily negate their political usefulness, and did not confer messianic status.
3. Impact on Religious and Political Communities
Cyrus's decree was broadly welcomed, whereas Trump’s leadership polarized American society and divided even religious communities. The political fruits of Trump’s tenure are mixed and contested.
4. Messiahship Defined
In biblical thought, mashiach refers either to kings and priests anointed for a specific task or, later, to the eschatological savior. No serious theological tradition holds that Cyrus or Trump is the fulfillment of ultimate messianic hopes.
Conclusion: Discernment in a Politicized Age
Scripture calls believers to place their ultimate trust not in political leaders, but in the sovereign God who directs history.
As Psalm 146:3 warns, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." (Psalm 146:3, JPS 1917).
Though God may indeed use flawed political figures to accomplish divine purposes, equating them with the Messiah risks theological error and idolatry. As Miroslav Volf insightfully writes:
"Christians should resist the seduction of political messianism by bearing witness to the already-but-not-yet Kingdom of God."³
In an era when political enthusiasm often verges on religious fervor, believers must practice discernment. They must remember that history's true Messiah reigns not from a throne in Washington or Jerusalem but from the right hand of God.
Footnotes
John Goldingay, The Message of Isaiah 40–55: A Literary-Theological Commentary (London: T&T Clark, 2005), 29.
N. T. Wright, The New Testament and the People of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992), 252.
Miroslav Volf, A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2011), 57.
Shaye J. D. Cohen, From the Maccabees to the Mishnah (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1987), 207.
Gershom Scholem, Sabbatai Sevi: The Mystical Messiah, 1626–1676 (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1973), 765.
Mark A. Noll, God and Race in American Politics: A Short History (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2008), 118.
Bibliography
Cohen, Shaye J. D. From the Maccabees to the Mishnah. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1987.
Goldingay, John. The Message of Isaiah 40–55: A Literary-Theological Commentary. London: T&T Clark, 2005.
Jewish Publication Society. The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text: A New Translation. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1917.
Noll, Mark A. God and Race in American Politics: A Short History. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2008.
Scholem, Gershom. Sabbatai Sevi: The Mystical Messiah, 1626–1676. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1973.
Volf, Miroslav. A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2011.
Wright, N. T. The New Testament and the People of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992.
Additional Readings
How You Can Help
If you enjoyed reading this post, and you're wondering how you can thank me, here’s what I ask: Take the inspiration you’ve found here and pass it on.
Consider donating some of your time, talents, or treasure to a worthy cause in your own community. Maybe there’s a widow who could use help with her yard. Maybe you know someone who’s recently lost a job and could use a helping hand. Maybe your local community center, homeless shelter, or school program is looking for mentors - step in and support them.
Look within your own religious or spiritual community, too. What needs do you see around you? Where can you make a difference?
You don’t need to have a lot. Just do what you can, with what you have, to make this world a better place. Your kindness will ripple out farther than you can imagine. Thank you for reading this post and for choosing to be a light.
Shalom, Terry
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